How much does it cost?

From £599 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $809 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is the train travel included?

Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes all rail and coach travel throughout the tour, covering the Lakeside & Haverthwaite, Ravenglass & Eskdale, and Settle-Carlisle railways in Standard Class.

Is this an escorted or independent tour?

Escorted. A UK Tour Manager leads the group throughout, and all guided tours and excursions are included. You stay in one hotel (Crown Hotel, Wetheral) for all four nights.

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance, plus any optional visits (such as Beatrix Potter's house in Bowness).

How large are the groups?

The maximum group size is 40 travellers.

Great Rail Journeys · Escorted tour

Lakes & Dales by Rail

Heritage railway loop through Lake District and Yorkshire Dales from Wetheral

Lakes & Dales by Rail is a five-day escorted tour run by Great Rail Journeys, based in the village of Wetheral near Carlisle. You travel on three heritage railways across northern England's most celebrated landscapes: the Lakeside & Haverthwaite line through the Leven Valley to Windermere, the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway (England's oldest minimum-gauge railway, opened in 1875) through scenic Eskdale, and the Settle-Carlisle line across the Yorkshire Dales and the Ribblehead Viaduct. Days are unhurried; you return each evening to the Crown Hotel and enjoy a full breakfast and dinner. The itinerary mixes rail journeys, a cruise on Windermere, and guided exploration of market towns and castles, including Muncaster (800 years in one family) and Skipton (900-year-old castle on cobbled streets). A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout. This tour suits rail enthusiasts, history lovers, and couples seeking guided comfort in classic English countryside.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has risen £100 since 4 Jul, to £599.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Steam-hauled trains are used where possible but may occasionally be diesel-hauled depending on timetable and availability.
The tour is based in one hotel throughout; Wetheral is a village close to Carlisle, not in the Lake District itself.

Day by day

Day 1overnight: Wetheral
Arrive in the scenic village of Wetheral
Arrive independently at the Crown Hotel, Wetheral, meeting the Tour Manager and group, with time at leisure to explore the village before dinner.
Day 2railovernight: Wetheral
Visiting the picturesque town of Windermere
Transfer by coach to Haverthwaite to board a steam train to Lakeside, then cruise across Windermere to Bowness, with a stop in Grasmere, once home to William Wordsworth, on the return.
Day 3railovernight: Wetheral
Discover Ravenglass and the historic Muncaster Castle
Coach to Ravenglass for a steam-hauled journey on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway to Dalegarth, then visit Muncaster Castle, owned by the Pennington family for more than 800 years. (For departures 14th June and 6th September, Days 3 and 4 swap around.)
Day 4railovernight: Wetheral
Exploring Skipton and riding the Settle to Carlisle Railway
A journey on the Settle to Carlisle line through the Yorkshire Dales, crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct, to the market town of Skipton and its medieval castle.
Day 5
Homeward bound
After a leisurely breakfast, the holiday comes to an end and you make your own way home.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Steam train journey from Haverthwaite to Lakeside on the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway, followed by a cruise across Windermere to Bowness.
Day 3Steam-hauled rail journey on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway from Ravenglass to Dalegarth, England's oldest minimum-gauge heritage railway, originally opened in 1875.
Day 4The Settle-Carlisle Railway from Skipton passes through the Yorkshire Dales, crosses the Ribblehead Viaduct, and cuts through hills, mountains, valleys, marshland, and rivers.

Included

Expertise of a UK Tour Manager from start to finish
4 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
Standard Class rail travel; all rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Breakfast and dinner each day
All guided tours and excursions

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £599 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $809 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is the train travel included?: Yes. Great Rail Journeys includes all rail and coach travel throughout the tour, covering the Lakeside & Haverthwaite, Ravenglass & Eskdale, and Settle-Carlisle railways in Standard Class.
Is this an escorted or independent tour?: Escorted. A UK Tour Manager leads the group throughout, and all guided tours and excursions are included. You stay in one hotel (Crown Hotel, Wetheral) for all four nights.
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance, plus any optional visits (such as Beatrix Potter's house in Bowness).
How large are the groups?: The maximum group size is 40 travellers.